Sunday, 15 January 2017

Up Your Blogging Game

When it comes to blogging I know that I am always looking for new ways to up my blogging game, ways to help me improve what I am doing and getting my blog recognised, I thought to myself, I can't be the only one who thinks this surely? So this post was created! Ways to help you up your blogging game.

Join Chats

Joining twitter chat's for blogging is extremely helpful! I can't tell you how many followers I have gained from them and I have met some of my very best blogging friends in there. It help's to engage with the community and get you noticed. It's an amazing way to up your blogging game for sure.

Make sure links work

It's a good idea to go through your blog every once in a while and update things, especially links! Make sure all links are working because it can bring your blog SEO down, plus you don't want people clicking on your links and it takes them no where...

Make sure everything is accessible

When I go onto a blog I like to know where everything is! I want to be able to see the navigation menu, I want to have everything easily accessible! So I know there are others out there who feel the same way. It's just better when I can search for things on someones blog easily.

Dont have too many pop ups

Pop ups.... BANE OF MY LIFE! Especially on blogs, where there are so many flying at me I get annoyed, confused and then leave. So, keep the pop ups to a minimum! I know for sure it makes me want to leave a blog so I can't be the only one who feels this way.

Layout

Clean, crips layouts make my eyes happy. I hate dark, dingy ones where it's so hard to read the writing and everything is all over the place. Being able to see what's been written is the main thing, I want to be able to read post's and enjoy them rather than straining my eye's, so keep this in mind. Find a layout that has your personality in it and is also really easily read!

Don't do Follow for Follow

When people leave comments "Follow for Follow" on blogs or pictures or anything for that matter, I instantly say to myself, DO NOT FOLLOW. I don't know what it is about it, but it annoys me. If someone comments an actual decent comment and leaves their blog link I am much more inclined to check their blog out rather than them saying "Follow for Follow!

Schedule posts/tweets

Scheduling posts is your friend! rather than having to write them on the day or the night before, schedule in advance! It saves so much time. Also, Schedule tweets! it really does help, it means you have your post's going out to the community, your post's are being seen, you're being active without being active. It really does help.

Take advantage of RT accounts

RT accounts are AMAZING for getting your links seen. I use them all the time, Heck, we have created one! It just helps get your blog seen by a wider audience, by people who don't follow you. I have gained a good few followers from using RT accounts. they are awesome!

CREDIT PEOPLES WORK!

If you have read a persons post and it has inspired you to write, CREDIT THE POST! There is nothing worse than reading through a blog and seeing your original post idea ripped off and you haven't been credited. Plus, people will have far more respect for you if you're honest about these type of things on your blog. And also, don't plagiarize! I mean that should be obvious, but just don't do it.

Automated DM's

DON'T Do them, do not do automated DM's because the likelihood of someone unfollowing you once they receive one is very high. I actually don't know anyone who likes these, so it's best to stay very clear of them.

This is so helpful. I honestly find pop-ups and "follow for followers" the two most annoying things about the blogging community so I'm really glad I'm not the only one who feels this way! Pop-ups make the blog seem... not genuine? Not sure if that's the right word, but if I'm getting a product or subscription box shoved in my face it really takes away from the content, which should be a priority. I also feel like follow-for-followers aren't really reading people's stuff half the time they're commenting, which is aggravating because I want people coming to my blog because they want to read or contribute to a discussion, not because they're looking for free advertising space! Like unless you contribute something substantial please go away haha.